AZERI ELECTION: RIVALS SLAM OPPOSITION BLOC FOR UNSANCTIONED DEMOS

Azerbaijani TV Channel One, Baku, in Azeri
26 Sep 05

The parliamentary election campaign in Azerbaijan continued on Monday
26 September with free and paid election broadcasts on state
television.

A paid electoral advertisement for parliamentary candidate, Farhad
Qaribov, head of the Azari Holding financial and industrial group,
described him as a hardworking person who loves his country and
parents and praised him for donating money to charity.

After that, Malahat Hasanova, a parliamentary candidate from the
ruling New Azerbaijan Party (NAP), said in her free election
broadcast that the party follows the path of Heydar Aliyev which is
the path of truth. She praised the late ex-President Heydar Aliyev
for saving the country from a civil war, establishing a cease-fire
with Armenia and starting economic development in the country. Major
oil and gas projects such as Baku-Ceyhan and Baku-Erzurum which were
signed under Aliyev, as well as the Silk Road and TRACECA (Transport
Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia) projects guarantee the country’s
economic development and security, she stressed.

In turn, Agacan Xosrovov, a candidate from the opposition Liberal
Party, promised to solve problems if elected to parliament. He also
said that no conditions have been created in Lankaran for him to meet
his voters.

After that, a candidate from the Azadliq election bloc, Malahat
Mursudlu, criticized the ruling party candidates for advertising
things that do not exist. People should have the right to influence
decision-making and everyone should be equal before the law, she
said. Mursudlu also invited people to attend the bloc’s rally on
Cafar Cabbarli Square in central Baku on 1 October.

Araz Alizada from the Yeni Siyasat opposition bloc criticized his
rivals for illegal actions and violence. He called for reconciliation
which he believes can help liberate Karabakh. Speaking about the
leader of the bloc, ex-President Ayaz Mutallibov who lives in exile
in Russia, Alizada said that President Aliyev wants reconciliation
and will resolve the issue of Mutallibov’s return to Azerbaijan.

Bahar Muradova, another candidate from the New Azerbaijan Party,
accused the opposition of provocations. In her paid election
broadcast, she said that “the radical opposition” does not like it
when campaigning is progressing successfully and for this reason, is
trying to destabilize the situation in Baku. Citing the 25 September
rally as an example, she said that the opposition agreed to talks
with the authorities only after the US embassy advised them to do so,
but the talks failed through the opposition’s fault. And they want to
hold a rally in a densely-populated area in central Baku again, she
said. The aim is to organize a provocation so that pressure is
exerted on the authorities later on, Muradova added. She called on
young people not to support these forces and vote for the NAP and
President Ilham Aliyev.

Meanwhile, Sevinc Huseynova, another candidate from the NAP, used her
paid election broadcast to appeal to President Aliyev and his wife.
She complained about the executive authorities in her constituency in
Samux District, which she said are ignoring the presidential decree
on improving electoral practices and illegally campaigning for one of
the candidates. I believe that you will create conditions for a free
and fair election, she said in conclusion.

At the same time, Ayyub Ayyubov from the Unity bloc praised President
Aliyev for his policy and said that all problems facing the country
could be resolved through national unity.

The United People’s Front of Azerbaijan Party used their paid
election broadcast to advertise party candidate Niyamaddin Orduxanov.

After that, Mammad Alizada, a candidate from the Islahat (Reform)
bloc, praised Heydar Aliyev for developing the market economy in the
country. In his paid election broadcast, he also criticized the
opposition for being puppets in the hands of foreign countries and
for serving those who do no want Azerbaijan to conduct an independent
policy. He called on voters to fight “these scoundrels”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress